1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to updating a startup sequence stored within a personal computer for determining utilities and applications that are automatically started upon booting the operating system or upon signing onto the system as a user.
2. Summary of the Background Art
Many users of computer systems start or launch the same applications repeatedly upon first starting their computing session. Computer operating systems provide for startup sequences in which various utilities and/or applications are listed to be started each time the operating system is booted and/or when a new user logs onto the computer system. Different start-up sequences may be provided for the different users registered to use the computer system as each of the users logs on. Such startup sequences are used, for example, to start programs that should be run whenever the system is turned on, such as antivirus utilities. A user may also perform selections within certain applications so that data causing them to be started is placed in the startup sequence. For example, a user may wish to start a check-balancing program so that he can balance his check register whenever he boots his system or signs in as a user.
Additionally, Microsoft WINDOWS® XP provides a user startup folder for each user containing shortcuts that run whenever the particular user logs on and a common startup folder containing shortcuts that run whenever any user logs on. Additionally, a scheduled tasks folder is provided for each user so that the administrator can specify tasks to be performed within each user account at startup. Registry keys are also used to control the startup sequences, with programs listed in a machine run key of the registry being available for all users, and with programs listed in the registry run key of the current user running whenever the user logs on again. Another group of registry keys for the machine and for individual user accounts, called RunOnce and RunOnceEx keys, identify programs that run once and only once at startup. Additionally, the Group Policy features of WINDOWS Servers can be used to control the startup sequences of client systems.
However, what is needed is an automatic startup configuration utility providing a way for a user to add an application to the startup sequence without a need to find a way within the application to change a setting to do this, and without having to determine start and determine how to use a utility within the operating system to modify the sequence.
U.S. Pat. Application Pub. No. 2002/0122076 describes a computer system in which, when an application is started, a shortcut icon is created to be used to start up the application program, with a shortcut icon that is determined to be no longer wanted being automatically deleted. Preferably, the creation condition includes the number of application program startups as a threshold value, and the startup record includes the number of application program startups Since a typical computer has a large number of icons, from which an existing icon must be located to start an application, what is needed is a method for subsequently starting a frequently-used application in the future without requiring the use of a startup icon.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,324,546 and 6,202,121 describe methods for improving the performance of computer systems that typically include many application programs stored on high capacity memory devices, such as hard drives, which are typically slow relative to other components of a computer system, and which thus noticeably reduce the overall performance, particularly during the start of application programs. According to the method of U.S. Pat. No. 6,324,546, the application programs are organized in memory devices so that often used application programs are stored in areas that are faster to access or otherwise have less effect on computer performance. The operating system logs, or records, certain information every time an application program is started, with the log ultimately providing a convenient measure of how frequently application programs are used. The log is then used to reorganize how application programs are stored in a memory device. According to the method of U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,121, during the installation process, the installation program reads data from a load sequence list and writes the file portions so they are stored in the order prescribed by the load sequence list in contiguous clusters on the hard disk drive. The computer can then read launch related data from the disk in the proper order from contiguous disk clusters, which minimizes or eliminates wasted time that would result from disk accesses if the disk heads had to move between noncontiguous clusters in order to read the launch related data. While these methods improve system performance by reducing the time associated with reading stored data, what is still needed is a way to simplify the use of the computer system by automatically launching application programs under conditions determined by the historical actions of the system user in launching applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,978 describes a method and apparatus for management of application programs in a computer network. A modified hierarchical database, which includes application objects that represent applications and their execution environments, is utilized. Administrator tools support the creation, deletion, and modification of application objects. Each application object includes the location of an executable code for a given application, an icon, a working directory name, drive mappings, printer port captures, command line parameters, and similar information. An application launcher queries the database and updates a list of available applications, which is kept in the user's desktop. The launcher automatically launches specified applications when a user runs the launcher. The launcher also uses the information in the application object to setup resources needed by the application, to create a process that executes the application, and to clean up after the application terminates. Resource setup involves mapping drives and capturing printer ports as needed. The database, the launcher, and the administrator tools allow consistent tracking and use of information about application programs and their execution environments in the network. In one embodiment, an application launcher allows a user to browse through the application objects, which represent the applications available to that user, and to view the information currently stored in the objects. The launcher also automatically launches specified “auto start” applications when a user runs the launcher. In addition, the launcher updates a list of available applications that is associated with the user's desktop by querying the database. The launcher's update capability relieves administrators of the need to manually update each user's desktop when a new application is added to the network or an established application is moved. What is needed is a system for automatically launching applications according to a history of actions of the user in an ongoing process, so that it is no longer necessary for an administrator or for the user to perform an additional process of determining which applications are to be added and of updating a database.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,932 describes a program startup apparatus used in an electronic machine to automatically start a function provided within an electronic machine with a user's single touch operation. The program startup apparatus automatically starts up a predetermined application program stored in the electronic machine. The apparatus has startup condition storage devices for storing a startup condition preset by the user. The apparatus also has a startup sequence control device for starting up the predetermined application program upon determining that the status of the electronic machine matches the startup condition stored in the startup condition storage devices. While this startup apparatus provides for updating a startup sequence by selecting applications from a menu, again what is needed is a method for updating a startup sequence based on the user's selection of applications for launching, using one of the several presently available and familiar user interfaces for launching applications while running an operating system. Additionally, what is needed is a way to provide the user with a method for determining whether an application he has launched is to be added to the startup sequence.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,759 describes a method by which a computer application stored on a storage medium (e.g., a portable storage medium such as a compact disk) is automatically launched. Initialization information expressed in accordance with a predefined syntax is stored on the storage medium. Also stored in the computer is “launching” information sufficient, together with the initialization information, to enable the computer to launch the application. The application is automatically launched, without user intervention, by reading the initialization information and using it in connection with the launching information stored in the computer. What is needed is a method providing for the automatic launching of any application stored on the hard drive of a system, in accordance with the historical actions of the user in launching applications.